1. Technical Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a protective device for securing a storage space in the interior of a vehicle with a winding shaft which is pivoted in a winding housing""s, on which a flexible flat shaped article is held in a manner so it can be pulled out and rolled in, which article can be anchored rigidly to the vehicle in at least one short and at least one long protective position, which allows the structure to be pulled out.
2. The Prior Art
Such a protective device for station wagons in general is known. The protective device presents a box housing which serves as winding housing, and which is attached to the back of the backrest of a back seat in a manner which allows it to be detached. A winding shaft is pivoted in the box housing, and a flexible flat shaped article, preferably in the form of a separation net, is held on it in a manner which allows it to be pulled out and rolled in. The separation net extends to the outside through a longitudinal slit in the box housing, and it is provided at its front end with a pullout bar, which can be anchored in a vertically pulled out protective position in holding devices which are rigidly attached to the vehicle in the roof area of the interior of the vehicle. The backrest can be positioned both in an upright functional position as well as in a lying position, tipped forward. In the tipped lying position, the storage space, compared to the upright functional position of the backrest, is accordingly enlarged. To be able to achieve, in both cases, the separation of the storage space from the rest of the interior of the vehicle, the separation net has a length chosen such that the separation net can be pulled out upward, even in the tipped lying position of the backrest out of the box housing and attached in corresponding holding devices which are rigidly attached to the vehicle in the roof area of the interior of the vehicle. For the upright position of the backrest and the tipped lying position of the backrest, different pullout lengths are therefore required so that the flat shaped article which is in the form of the separation net assumes, in each case, vertical protective positions.
From DE 196 43 691 C2, an additional protective device for securing a storage space in the interior of a vehicle is known, in which a separation net held on a winding shaft is positioned in a box housing, where the box housing is attached to the back of the backrest of a back seat. The winding shaft is, in addition, associated with an acceleration actuated lock device, which effects, in the case of a vehicle impact during which objects are projected into the safety net, the unwinding of the safety net and achieves a reliable retention by means of the separation net.
The problem of the invention is to provide a protective device of the type mentioned in the introduction, which allows, in every protective position of the flat shaped article, an acceleration-independent tight securing of the flat shaped article.
This problem is solved by providing a switch device for the selection of a desired position corresponding to each protective position of the flat shaped article, as well as a control device, where the control device determines the rotations of the winding shaft and restricts, as a function of the chosen desired position, the pullout distance for the flat shaped article to a corresponding length, or it releases the flat shaped article for complete pullout. The solution according to the invention is particularly suitable for flat shaped article which can be pulled out in a vertical protective position. In the same manner, it is possible to use the solution for flat shaped articles which can be pulled out horizontally in the form of cover surfaces or similar flat shaped articles. The switch device can either be operated manually or it can be subjected to automatic, position-dependent control.
In the case of flat shaped articles which can be pulled out vertically, the length of the flat shaped article is designed so that in the lower functional position, in particular in a tipped lying position of the backrest, the flat shaped article is at least almost completely pulled out into its vertical protective position. In the tipped lying position of the backrest, the flat shaped article, in its protective position, can thus almost no longer be stretched to form a bulge. The same applies to the higher functional position of the winding housing, in particular to an upright functional position of the backrest, because in this position, the pullout distance of the flat shaped article through the control device is restricted. Independently of accelerations applied to the flat shaped article and the winding shaft, a tight retention for objects, animals or other items located in the storage room is created if, in every functional position of the winding housing, the flat shaped article is pulled out and brought into the vertical protection position. In particular, this also guarantees that objects pushed into the flat shaped article, which apply acceleration to the winding shaft below the acceleration limit value, are still safely retained, because the flat shaped article, in all cases, generates a safe and tight retention. It is preferred for the flexible flat shaped article to be designed as a separation net, the principle of which is known. The control device is preferably formed from mechanical components. However, it can also be provided with an electrical or electronic sensing, counting and evaluation components, which can control an electrical drive or an electrical brake device of the winding shaft.
In an embodiment of the invention, the control device presents a mechanical lock device which is provided to block the winding shaft. As a result, a particularly safe retention of the flat shaped article is achieved, where the mechanical design guarantees a simple construction with high functional reliability.
In an additional embodiment of the invention, the control device presents a gravity-dependent switchable regulation element, which is arranged so it can be moved, in such a manner that it can be switched by moving the backrest to its functional or lying position with different final positions. The regulation element is designed and placed in such a manner that it is automatically adjusted, at the time of the tipping of the backrest, to the functional position or the lying position with different final positions, in which the lock device is either actuated or remains inoperative.
In an additional embodiment of the invention, the control device presents a sliding spiral, rigidly attached to the housing, or located on the side of the winding shaft, and a corresponding opposite sliding finger, on the side of the winding shaft or rigidly attached to the housing, which finger engages with the sliding spiral and is radially movable; and the regulation element is provided with a regulation switch which is positioned so it can move in the sliding spiral. Depending on how the regulation switch is positioned by the gravity-dependent regulation, the sliding finger runs in the sliding spiral with or without actuation of the lock device.
In an additional embodiment of the invention, the winding shaft is associated with an acceleration actuated blocking device, which, independently of the lock device, stops the winding shaft if the acceleration value exceeds a defined limit value. As a result, an acceleration dependent device, which acts as an alternative to the locking device, is provided in addition to block the winding shaft and the flat shaped article in its vertical protective position. It is preferred for the acceleration actuated locking device to present an inertial element, which controls a corresponding blocking element. The defined limit value is determined as a function of the stresses applied to the winding shaft in the case of a vehicle impact because of objects which are projected against the tightened flat shaped article.
In an additional embodiment of the invention, the locking device and/or the blocking device are designed in such a manner that, during the blocking of the winding shaft, there is an additional positive-lock wedging with the support profile of the box housing. This design is advantageous if forces applied to the flat shaped article are so strong that the lock device or the blocking device cannot resist this force. As a result of the wedging with a stable support profile of the box housing it is possible, even in case of such high forces, to achieve a positive-lock retention and the continuation of the blocking or locking function.
Additional advantages and characteristics of the invention can be obtained from the claims as well as the following description of a preferred embodiment example of the invention, which is represented with reference to the drawings.